6 METHODS FOR

KILLING CLIENTS WITH

6 Methods for Building Better Email Lists

By Kendra Lee

Email lists can be a blessing or a curse. When they’re composed of real email addresses of people in your target micro-segment, and those people recognize you or your company by name, an email list is an invaluable lead generation resource. When the list is filled with contacts who don’t know of you or your company, i.e. a cold list, lead generation can be though – really tough. Likewise, if your list is populated with fake, inactive, or irrelevant accounts you’re at risk of being banned by your email software provider.

Not surprisingly, I hear from clients all the time asking how to build an email list that will get results for their campaigns. Should they purchase? Should they attempt to build their own?

Remember that with email list building your goal is to build a list of people within your micro-segment, so quality is more important than quantity. The more similar the contacts, the easier it is to tailor your nurturing and lead generation content to their specific needs.

1Nurturing and lead generation activities: When you engage in social media, nurturing activities, SEO, and Adwords, those mediums provide forums for you to drive people to your website, start a conversation via a social channel, attend an event you’re hosting, and add people to your list. People who respond really do want to be part of your list.

2Membership organizations: Whether it’s through industry associations, mastermind groups, or networking events, these types of organizations provide an excellent means for collecting contact information. Generally, people will update or provide their own information because they want other members to have easy access to them so you know the data is current.

3Shared lists: By finding a peer who targets a similar microsegment with a non-competitive offering, you may be able to forge a partnership in which you promote to each other’s lists. This happens frequently within the high tech space, with consultants, and with professional services organization where they understand the value of collaboration.

4Research the web and build your own: Increasingly, we’re seeing companies comb LinkedIn, Zoominfo. com, InsideView.com, DiscoverOrg.com and other websites for contact information, and then follow-up with companies to confirm the validity of that information. This approach is time consuming, but it can be very effective. A client who we coached through this process recently got a 41% open rate on their email nurturing campaign. I really like DiscoverOrg for the detailed information they have if you’re selling in the IT or telecom industry.

5Purchase lists: There are numerous companies that sell email lists, but you need to be careful which vendor you buy from

and how much you spend. Prices typically range from hundreds to several thousand dollars depending on list specificity and size. One warning: Expect higher bounce rates with these lists and negotiate for that issue when you purchase. To avoid high bounce rates, look for a list company that validates the information. In this way I’ve been very pleased with ExchangeLeads for new lists and validation of current lists. If you don’t have any list, this may be the way to get started.

6Trade information for information: Sites like ExchangeLeads and Data.com community give you credit for providing contact information for companies you’ve worked with in the past. As you earn credit, you can use it to acquire lists for free. These services generally have a fee option as well, and the data integrity is dependent upon users keeping it current. Again, look for companies that validate data to reduce bounce rates and wasted time. I really like ExchangeLeads for trading information as well as purchasing it.

Ultimately, my advice would be to focus as much on the organic list building methods (#s 1-4) as possible, and supplement with the purchased methods (#s 5 and 6) when necessary. If you start with a purchased list, plan to nurture it and build your recognition. Don’t toss it away if you don’t get immediate results.

At the end of the day, you want to strive for list quality over list quantity. Pushing your messaging out to unwitting, uninterested, or unsuspecting prospects won’t do anything to help you close more deals.

Contact details for Kendra Lee: Phone: 303-741-6636 (Old fashioned, but very effective.) Email: Info@klagroup.com (Yes, I get every one of these personally.) Twitter: @KendraLeeKLA (And I do follow all direct messages on Twitter!) KLA Group is a sales consulting and training firm focused on helping clients get more customers in the Small and Midmarket Business (SMB) segment through lead generation, prospecting, hiring and onboarding strategies.

Owner and broker of 1st Premier Mortgage Company, LLC in Norwalk, Maya Pesok serves the State of Connecticut, handling the whole range of residential mortgage loans, including FHA, VA, USDA,and more.

Maya Pesok got started in the mortgage industry in 1999, when she went to work for a lender in Stamford, Connecticut. She found that she loved the work, and eventually went on to found her own company, 1 st Premier Mortgage Company, LLC in Norwalk, where she is the owner and broker. Clients know Maya as honest, trustworthy, and thorough in her work. She always does her homework to make sure the process of

applying for a loan goes as smoothly as possible for her clients.

Maya serves the State of Connecticut, handling the whole range of residential mortgage loans, including FHA, VA, USDA, Home Improvement, Tax ID loans and more. The vast majority of her business comes from repeat and referral clients, a testament to the loyalty she inspires. “We don’t do very

much advertising, and I’m very proud of that because our clients are our biggest referral base,” Maya says. “We try to make them all feel as comfortable as possible during this process that can be stressful and sometimes scary. That’s what makes our clients refer us more business and keep coming back themselves when they need to refinance. There are clients I first started seeing 15 years ago who are still coming back.”

It is Maya’s honesty that truly sets her apart from her peers. She offers her clients the unvarnished truth about their situation, because ultimately she only wants what is best for them. “I put all my cards on the table, and I treat people the way I would like to be treated.”

Realtors also know they can rely on Maya to do the in-depth preparation necessary to ensure smooth sailing. “I close my loans,” she explains. “I don’t give pre-approval unless I really do my homework, check the client’s ability to pay, and check all the documentation that eventually needs to be presented to an underwriter. I would never put anybody in a position where they go out and look at properties, put in an offer, and then get denied. It’s not worth anybody’s time.”

It is Maya’s honesty that truly sets her apart from her peers. She offers her clients the unvarnished truth about their situation, because ultimately she

only wants what is best for them. “I put all my cards on the table, and I treat people the way I would like to be treated,” she says. “We don’t treat our clients as just clients. We treat them like family. We try to make things as easy as possible for our clients.” This dedication to serving her clients does not end when a deal closes. “I always tell clients afterwards: We’re here, we’re not

going anywhere, and if you need us for anything, just pick up the phone and call.”

Maya’s dedication to serving her community extends to her service work. Each year, she and her team work with local schools in town to provide holiday gifts for less fortunate kids and their families. And throughout the year, 1 st Premier sponsors school

fundraisers and other events. “I try to give back to my community in Norwalk whenever I can, because I’m here to stay,” Maya says. When she is not working or giving back, Maya loves spending time with her husband and their 11 – year old twin boys.

In the future, Maya plans to continue growing 1 st Premier. “We want to help as many people as possible. We want to be here for our community, and for our clients who have been so loyal and so great to us.”

To find out more about Maya Pesok, you can reach her by phone at 203.299.1772, or by email at maya@1stpremier.org. You can also

find her online at

www.facebook.com/1stpremiermortgage

http://www.justingrable.com Mortgage Broker only, not a Mortgage Lender or Mortgage Correspondent Lender.

3 Team Building Exercises to Revitalize Momentum in the Office

A positive team dynamic can transform an average office into a powerhouse lineup. Likewise, a healthy in-office atmosphere translates to boosted productivity, while clients sense an environment brimming with positivity and support. Just as professional self-development is an essential ingredient to a dynamic career, the development of a team is indispensable to long-term growth and success. So, how do you create a platform for office members to combine their energies and talents for the better? For starters, add these team-building exercises to your repertoire to inspire natural comradery and momentum in your workplace.

Dream Big, Together If team members aren’t challenged, productivity stagnates and the office loses steam. The same can

If team members aren’t challenged, productivity stagnates and the office loses steam. The same can happen if employees don’t believe their voice is being heard or taken seriously.

happen if employees don’t believe their voice is being heard or taken seriously. How should a leader compensate? To curtail negativity and bring a breath of fresh air into the office, give team members a platform to think big, no questions asked. Before your next office-wide meeting, devote a half-hour to visionary thinking. Ask each member of your team to write privately for ten minutes, considering what if scenarios regarding their current roles, career aspirations, and the office’s culture. What do they wish was different? How might things be streamlined? What skills do they wish they possessed? Encourage team members to be imaginative and wrestle with the hurdles or questions they’ve been grappling with. When time is up, split employees into smaller breakout groups and allow them to share their thoughts with one another. Not only will this ignite thoughtful discussion, but it will also allow team members the chance to brainstorm creatively, while articulating their ideas and visions for the road ahead.

Lend a Hand

If in-office team-building activities aren’t your style, consider service-oriented excursions that bring office staff together and benefit a worthy cause. In the real estate field, there are countless housing-related organizations to which your office can donate their time and energies. For instance, Habitat for a Humanity constructs homes for those in need using amateur volunteers, while there are nationwide projects that support housing relief for military veterans. The scope of your service commitment can also vary—from a dedicated day hammering away at a new home, to sponsoring a golf tournament benefitting area organizations. Either way, service projects unite your team’s energies, afford employees a refreshing change of pace, and positively impact your community.

When All Else Fails, Keep it Light Sometimes team members need to blow off steam to avoid office burnout. One way to combat low energy is bring team members together for a lighthearted game. Try office-themed trivia: come up with thirty trivia questions based on your office, then divide team members into competing groups. Encourage groups to think up team names, and organize trivia questions into themed categories. Remember to award fun prizes to create a light incentive. A healthy sense of competition revolving around silly subject matter can get team members loosened up and working together. Concoct questions of moderate difficulty that speak to people’s common ground. For instance, how many tiles are in the office kitchen? Or, how many doors can be found in the office? These questions are light and won’t create any real tension, but will allow a reframing of a stuffy office into a collective home base. Plus, it’ll keep your next holiday party lively.

Team-building is an important form of routine maintenance, whose benefits shouldn’t be overlooked. Whatever activity you land on, the overarching idea is to nudge team members beyond their comfortable routines and come together in a new way. At the end of the day, you’ll boost your business, office morale, and colleagues in the process.